Warrior Coaching

Already it is August and many of us are starting to reflect on how we stand with the goals that we set ourselves back in January.  Are you on track?

In this blog I’m continuing with the acrostic word to help explain exactly what Warrior Coaching is all about, as a recent survey highlighted that over 50% of people don’t really know what a Mindset Coach can do for an individual.  So far we have already covered 3 of the letters which include:

W is for Winning Mentality
A is for Attitude
R is for Responsibility

I you missed any of these then you can find them on the website here:
http://www.warriorcoaching.co.uk/blog.html

Today I want to talk about another R which stands for Resilience.

This weekend I am hosting a Bootcamp in the Brecons where I help people understand how to work with their bodies and get the most from themselves.  And a huge part of the lesson over this weekend is how to be more Resilient.  After all life sure does knock you down when you’re least expecting it and it is not a sign of weakness when it happens because sure enough everyone will experience being hit for 6 at some point in their lives.  Now the Bootcamp although we use the terrain and physical activity to prove the point, doesn’t really have anything to do with either, it’s all about developing the mindset and attitude to go the extra mile when you need to.  For quite often we are stood shoulder to shoulder with the path that our dreams are on and all we need is a bit more resilience to weather the storm and we’ll make it.

When the military are assessing new recruits they have less interest in how fit the recruit is (within reason of course) and more interest in what his/ her attitude is under pressure.  After all, everyone has that point when their body starts to fail on them and it is how they react at this point which determines their value within a team.  The Warrior that shows Resilience and is able to weather the storm when everyone around them is running for cover is the one that will succeed when others quit.  Not because they are better than everyone else but because they have the belief and confidence in themselves that they can always move forwards.

One of my favourite speeches which epitomises this was when Rocky had a chat with his son in the film Rocky Balboa.  Now I don’t know if you’re a Rocky fan but here is the youtube clip for you to take a peek at if you’re interested:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uASVzkrEKgs

The tools in Warrior Coaching take people on a journey to understand what really motivates them and develops the mindset that keeps them on track no matter what the terrain is outside.  Of course, part of the skills developed is how to navigate the terrain to find the most appropriate route, however even when you are an expert navigator there will always be a few parts of the journey that aren’t quite as luxurious as you’d like.  That’s ok, just keep moving forwards.

Remember to book in for your Free 1-2-1 if you haven’t already so we can help you accelerate forwards and set yourself up early for an awesome 2011.  Looking forward to hearing form you.

Till the next time

Keep up the Intensity!

Dean

  Here we are at the start of a new week already and I’m continuing the series detailing what ‘Warrior Coaching’ is and what it stands for through an acrostic word.

Already we have covered W which stands for Winning Mentality:
http://www.warriorcoaching.co.uk/1/post/2010/07/w-is-for-winning-mentality.html

And A which was all about Attitude
http://www.warriorcoaching.co.uk/1/post/2010/07/a-is-for-attitude.html

Today we talk about the first R which is all about Responsibility.

Responsibility is all about taking full control of your situation.  Responsibility is what binds you to the course of action that you need to undertake to succeed in your goals.  And nothing and no one is responsible for your success more than you are.

Now one thing you will learn about Warrior Coaching is that it is never about re-inventing the wheel.  It is only about getting clients from A to B in the most effective and efficient process.  However, no amount of advice, input and information can help the individual who refuses to accept full responsibility for their situation.  This is not a new concept and the reason I insist on continuing to bring it up is because across the board many people refuse to pay attention to it.

We appear to live in a society where we’re all thirsty for knowledge, the new killer piece of information, the shortcuts and the holy grail of expert advice.  And in truth people have never known as much as they do now.  However, many people are not living that knowledge or applying it which is why we must all take full responsibility for that right away.  The ones that do stand up and accept responsibility are the only ones that allow themselves to grow to their full potential.

All aspects of your life that you don’t particularly like are there because of choices and actions that were your responsibility.  And by the same token, all aspects of your life that you truly cherish and love are there because of choices and actions that were your responsibility.  That’s the great thing about life.  You get to claim all of the credit for everything you achieve, as well as all the credit for what you don’t.  So be responsible for your results and accept that they are in your hands.

This concept although simple in principal can be a challenge for some clients to fully take on board.  Warrior Coaching simply works in partnership with them and develops within them the skills, belief and courage to face that responsibility and take charge of their destiny.

After all we are all masters of our own destiny, and the captains of our soul.

Be Responsible for your success today.  And if you have any questions at all about aspects of your life you would like to have more control over or questions about how you can be more responsible then email me right away.  Even better, if we haven’t spoken yet then remember to book your free 1-2-1 and I’ll get you started with some tools you can use immediately.

Keep up the Intensity

Dean

Recently I’ve started a series of blogs which breaks down what Warrior Coaching is all about.   The blogs aims to share exactly how it helps individuals and teams break through barriers standing in their path and to do that I broke Warrior down into an acrostic word so we could explore it further.

You may have noticed last week that I started with W which stood for Winning Mentality.  If you missed it you can check out the blog here:
http://www.warriorcoaching.co.uk/1/post/2010/07/w-is-for-winning-mentality.html

Well A stands for the most important aspect of any individuals success.  A stands for Attitude.

It is why the home page of my website contains this quote at the bottom from from Thomas Jefferson.  Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.

This is not new information to us, we hear it all the time.  However how many of us actually commit to investing in our attitude?  How many of us spend hours forging an attitude that has the strength to empower us to the level that we aspire to?  The sad truth is not very many.  We live in the information age where knowledge is deemed as power though that is not the case.  It is the application of knowledge which is power and only those with the right attitude are out there taking the appropriate action when it is necessary to do so.  And it is action which drives you forward which is why the Middle East claim that when you start moving, God shows willing.  They believe God gives them further power the moment they start acting on their goals and dreams.  Though they are also totally aware that to proceed action they need the right attitude as without it too many of us procrastinate.

My first ever day in Sales I was told that selling was 99% Attitude and 1% Ability.  I would say this was true of many areas and I have observed the proof many times.  How many of you would like to be fitter and know what you have to do, but don’t?  How many of you know what activity you need to do to get that next sales lead, but don’t?  How many of you know exactly what your dreams are, but are waiting for the right time to act?  Well tomorrow never comes.  Start developing your attitude today and use time more wisely.

And yes, Attitude is not as simple as positive thinking.  It is partly about positive thinking but it is so much more than that.  For instance if you are up to your waist in crap and you have a positive attitude then it means your up to your waist in crap and happy about it.  It hasn’t done anything to deal with the problem.  Many of us use PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) as a tool to try and mask the pain and hide the fact we’re unhappy.  This is not strength of attitude and will not help you succeed.  It just makes your boss happier to hire you because you complain less.

Start focusing on your attitude today as it is the single one thing that stops 99% of people achieving their goals.  Knowledge and information is worthless without the right attitude.

Next blog I’ll tell you what the first R stands for.

Keep up the Intensity

Dean

Sometimes things happen and they are just beyond coincidence.  These occurrences happen all the time though they often slip under the radar and just take on the cloak of everyday life and pure chance.  Today I know I was given a sign that I’ve been asking for to confirm the road I’m on is heading the right way.  And I heard it loud and clear!

Earlier in the week I was working with an 18 year old who has been taken care of by Social Services as a child.  Now he has turned the corner into adulthood he has the added responsibility of taking care of himself and sourcing his own income/ benefits.  In the past he has been involved in crime and has never worried about where the next pound is coming from.  However as with all people in his situation the law finally caught up with him and treated him to a forced vacation at Her Majesty’s Pleasure.  Now to his credit he is giving going straight a fair crack and exploring a new way of living.  But it isn’t easy.  After all, he knows how to make a grand in a heartbeat yet here he is filling in forms, being talked down to by the jobsworth in the job centre (yes, it’s awful how they talk to these young adults!), jumping through hoops and waiting weeks and weeks to find out if he can get JSA while he hunts for more meaningful work.  Well I say meaningful, it means working 40 hours a week for a month to claim less money than he is used to getting hold of in a couple of hours.  No wonder he thinks the system is laughing at him when he is doing all that he can to tow the line.  So he turns round to me and says…..

‘Show me the Money!!’

Money talks in their world and they are being deprived of it.  Imagine how hard my job is keeping them motivated to take the lawful route?  Like convincing a 5 year old they really don’t need sweets anymore.  Yes, try that one sometime and see how far you get.  But don’t worry if the Warrior Coach can’t do the job then no one can so it’s a good job I’m on it.

Ever since that episode with the child I’ve had the Jerry Maguire film spinning around and around in my head.  ‘Show me the Money!!’  I haven’t seen that film in ages but all of a sudden I was impulsed to watch it.  And I had no idea why?

This morning I attended a 4N Networking breakfast in Bushey, Watford and I listened to a guy with a strong aura talk about his Buddhist faith.  He shared some wisdom and also shared a prayer which I wasn’t expecting and had certainly never experienced before.  He then informed us all that the prayer and the ‘chang’ would help us access our subconscious.  Well I don’t know if it did that but I knew I had to connect with this guy and arrange an opportunity to chat one to one.  As it was clear his spiritual journey overlapped with some of my ‘Warrior Coaching’ philosophies about how to live a full life.  Was this coincidence or irrelevant to the story?  Who knows?

Lunchtime today I visited town with my fiancé Sara and the
young girl she is a Nanny for.  It entered my head that I should look for a copy of the film but we were heading away from the DVD shops and back to the car.  Sara asked me if I wanted to turn back and I declined.  I only wanted to look on the off chance and even then I did not want to pay more than £4 so it wasn’t worth a special change of direction to hunt for a copy.  After all, I still had no idea why I needed to watch it? 

We made it back to the car park in St Albans and were just fishing for change for the parking ticket when Sara noticed there was a Wilkinson next to the parking ticket payment machine.  Suddenly realising she needed some make-up she dragged us in to the bargain shop.  I have to admit make-up isn’t my scene so I decided to head to the Stationary section as I needed some supplies myself and being an opportunist in a good value shop I thought now was as good a time as any to get some bits.

Now you’re probably wondering where this thread is heading aren’t you?  Yes, I know I’ll get to the point.

Well lo and behold as I turned down the aisle containing paper and pens I found a tiny stand with a few CD’s and DVD’s on it.  A minimal collection of drop bottom priced items.  I don’t know how I knew, but I just did.  I knew with certainty that the film ‘Jerry Maguire’ was on that rack and I also knew it was less than £4.  (It actually turned out to be £3.97!).  And I also know with certainty that I am supposed to watch this film for an important reason though as I write this I haven’t even removed the cellophane yet.

How freaky is that?!

So what is the lesson and why was I guided to this film through a course of events that could easily be dismissed as coincidental?  And why when it did happen did I instantly receive the knowledge that it was absolutely NO coincidence and I knew it was for a reason??  Heck, my Ecademy status even said this morning that I had a strange urge to watch the film and I had no reason why?  That was hours before this course of events guided me straight to a copy?

Well like I say, I still don’t know what the lesson is yet but you can bet your bottom dollar I’ll be sticking the flick on tonight and enjoying finding out.  Maybe it will confirm that fighting with your heart and retaining integrity does pay in the finish?  Even if in the short term it is one hell of a bumpy ride?  Or maybe I just need to reconnect with my ‘Quan’? 

We’ll see.  Either way I know one thing with certainty.  I’ve been handed a sign and I’ve registered it.  And as crazy as it sounds it has given me a huge lift and re-affirmed many things to me which I am grateful for.  What a wonderful gift.

As the summer finally emerges it we all start thinking about making the most of those sunny days and making sure we are all in shape.  And with the amount of sports events that are on the TV inspiring us at the moment, it is no wonder that more of us are heading outside to enjoy the weather.  Which is great to see.

In this newsletter I wanted to begin writing about what Warrior Coaching means to me as I’m often asked what it is.  I guess when you know the answer sometimes you forget that it isn’t obvious to everyone so I’m going to begin here by breaking down the different aspects of Warrior Coaching by turning Warrior into an acrostic word.

Today I will focus on the ‘W’ which stands for Winning Mentality. 

It sounds obvious but in order to be successful we must be able to develop a Winning Mentality.  And it is surprising how many people find this very hard to get an understanding of.  Now a Winning Mentality is important to succeed in many areas of our lives from Business to Personal and from Academic to Athletic.  The Winning Mentality is about knowing how to state an objective as an intention and align your mindset to achieving that path.  Ultimately we are judged on what we do and Warrior Coaching is all about generating positive action.  However it starts in the mind.  Our actions are a product of our beliefs and if the Winning Mentality is missing then the action required normally falls short.  Doubt causes hesitation and to stall is lost opportunity.  With the Winning Mentality we can shift any wasted energy from doubt and fear into positive action which accelerates us towards our goals.

Warrior Coaching places a very high value on developing the Winning Mentality in individuals and providing them with the skills to manage this mentality. 

After all to believe in yourself costs nothing but not to believe in you costs everything!  And the good news is it really isn’t that hard to develop once you become aware of some really basic principles.  But more on that another time.

In the next newsletter I’ll tell you what the ‘A’ stands for.

Keep up the Intensity

Dean

Watching England play against Germany yesterday got me thinking all about Team Building.  The England side clearly were not operating as a team, lacked understanding between them and were unclear about their roles.  Hard to believe I know when you consider that the management team has had them for over a month to work with?

So here is a few short tips of how to Build Teams

1. Common Goals

Naturally the team needs to share common goals.  In theory these goals are often considered so obvious that they don’t need to be said.  But they do.  Take England for example.  It appears obvious that their collective goal would be to win the world cup.  And I’m pretty sure this was discussed.  However by watching their actions and observing individual efforts oppose to a team effort I would surmise that the common goals were not clear enough or understood by all.  For this reason every single team member must clearly understand how the team coming first benefits them individually.  This certainly was not communicated effectively yesterday as too many players looked like all they were trying to do was bump up their transfer fees without realising that not playing as a team made virtually EVERY player in the team drop in value.  So common goals must be discussed and you must get ‘buy in’ from the team members with some level of confirmed commitment.  Merely dictating the goals does not qualify as getting ‘buy in’ from the team members.

1. Clear Roles

Every member must be totally aware of their specified roles within the team.   Again it was painfully clear that this had not been effectively communicated in the game yesterday, hence the lack of direction.  On top of that the manager must be so in tune with the staff that they know their strengths and weaknesses.  By knowing this they can place the members of the team in the appropriate key areas.  After all not only must the staff have clear roles but they must have full training and adequate skills to fulfil the role.  It is not appropriate to try and smash a square peg into a round hole just because that’s the system that looks the best on the whiteboard.  It has to suit the personnel on the ground.  Also each member must be aware of the importance of their individual role as the team can not function without every one performing in their key areas.

1. Give it adequate Time

No matter what the new system is that you put in place it must have adequate time to gel.  Whether it is a new sports team formation, a sales team, a new personnel hierarchy, office management or whatever, it doesn’t make a difference.  It has to be given enough time to work effectively.  Naturally the more preparation you put in at the start ensuring the individuals are competent for their roles then the quicker it should come together.  However, sadly for Capello in the role of England Football Coach he entered a World Cup still not knowing his best team and how they should play.  This kind of lack of preparation costs people their jobs and in business could cost millions.  There is no excuse for not planning ahead and allowing enough time to weed out the teething errors which are likely to occur at the beginning of building a new team structure.

1. Manage Motivation Levels

My first sales position I was taught that sales is 99% attitude and 1% ability and to be honest that is true with many things.  Once the team is in place, the members know their roles and everyone is working toward the same common goals then the next step is to manage the emotions and personalities of the team.  After all a team shows its mettle when facing adversity not coasting through the good times.  So be prepared and have processes in place to manage the expectations of the team members and how they are mentally prepared.  If the team starts to lose confidence, belief and desire as a unit then it’s difficult to point the finger at individuals.  The management has to be accountable and take some responsibility for not managing the motivation of their team members.  And like Zig Ziglar says:

‘They say motivation doesn’t last, well neither does bathing that’s why we recommend it daily’

Managing motivation levels has to be part of the initial plan and not something that gets thrown together later to resolve a crisis.

1. Accountability

Finally their needs to be accountability within the team though this also needs to totally balanced with a reward structure.  You can not chastise if on the other end of the scale there is no reward and vice versa.  Also you can only claim accountability of team members once you have got their ‘buy in’ to the cause and they fully understand what they will get from fulfilling their side of the bargain.  Paying someone an hourly rate is not enough to assume they will just do what they are told.  This only works if the manager is constantly chasing them with a stick and traditionally this is a huge expense of resources for minimal return.  The real art is to empower the individuals so they can be self motivated to further themselves and reap the rewards.  That doesn’t mean that management is not required but it does mean that managers can focus on more pivotal projects than just chasing around the shop floor with a long stick.

So there you go 5 quick tips!  Enjoy